Partition wall base



Oct. 28, 1941. c. SCHULTZ PARTITION WALL BASE Filed Sept, 9, 19:59

INVENTOF CARLTON SCHULTZ HIS ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 28, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE" I e 2,261,077 I PARTITION WALL BASE I Carlton Schultz, Cleveland Heights, Ohio 7 Application September 9, 1939, serial No. 294,138

1 Claim.

This invention relates to .wall structures and more particularly to an improved partition wall base or panel retaining unit.

Wall bases or retaining units of the usual form consist of a plurality of separate members which are assembled and fitted at the site of installation and are of the nature that requires the use of separate molding, concealing strips and splash panels which are secured to the base or unit after the wall has been plastered to conceal the ragged edges of the plaster. This procedure necessitates an expensive base or unit, molding or splash panel, and also expensive handling and inconvenient assembly at the site of installation which is, in many instances, prohibitive to the modern building cost.

One of the principal objects of the present invention, therefore, is the provision of a retaining unit for wall structures which is secured to the floor for supporting a wall or retaining a wall securely in place and which may be incorporated into the wall structure so as to form an integral part thereof, which eliminates the use of separate molding or splash panels by having a portion substantially flush with the finished Wall structure, and which has no exposed dust and dirt collecting surfaces.

Another object is to provide a single unitary structure in the form of a retaining unit for a wall structure of any suitable composition such as plaster, artificial board, pressed fibrous material, cementitious material, or other materials, many of which are well known and in common use.

Another object is to provide a wall retaining unit of this character with means therein for securing upright supporting members, such as channels, rods, studs, or the like, to which suitable lath such as the usual expanded metal lath, wall board fastenings, and the like, are fastened and for retaining the wall elements in place and for retaining the laths in proper position preparatory to the application of plaster, or the like, thereto, and which retains any associated wall structure in position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a complete retaining unit, having the above characteristics, for partitions or the like, and which may be conveniently and economically manufactured, and which is composed of a minimum number of parts and eliminates expensive assembly at the place of manufacture or the site of installation.

Another object is to provide a unit of this inpr'oper position and which affords a locking engagement with the coated walls such that 'an accurately finished surface may be obtained and the edges of the plaster of the coated wall adjacent the unit completely concealed without the use of a separate molding orponcealing strip.

Another specific object is to provide a retaining unit for a wall assembly which is adapted to be secured to the floor and which comprises/a single elongated strip of metal bent to form a base adapted to rest upon a floor and generally parallel upright side walls extending from the base and in spaced relation to each other and terminating in upwardly open retaining channels of generally V-shaped cross section which are adapted to interlock with the plaster, panel, or other wall surfaces, when the wall is finished and presents surfaces substantially flush with the outer surface of the side walls.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following specification wherein reference is made to the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a a retaining unit with the upright supporting channel 26 having a base and upwardly extending flanges 21 which are slotted, as at 28, at a predetermined distance corresponding to the distance between the supporting channels or studs 29, so as to receive and accommodate the supporting channels or studs. In order to secure the structure to the floor, an upright channel 30, having flanges 3|, is first secured to the fioor and then the flanges 22 and 23 of the retaining unit are slipped over the flanges 3| of the channel 30. The base portions of the supporting channels or studs 29 are passed between the slots 28 of the channels 26 and the flanges of the supporting channels overlie the flanges 21 of the channel 26, and may be, if desired, firmly secured in place by welding, or otherwise securing the flanges of the channel 29 to the flanges 21 of the channels 26. Suitable lath, such as expanded metal lath 42, is then fastened on the upright channels if desired, and plaster 42 applied. Each of the side walls 2| and 22 at their character which is quickly and easily installed free margins are bent inwardly and downward- 1y toward each other as at 31 and 38 and terminate in upwardly extending portions 39 and 40 to form upwardly open retaining channels of generally V-shaped cross section. In some instances, particularly in light walls constructed of panels, gypsum blocks, and the like, the portions 31, 38, 39 and 40 may be eliminated and the retaining unit 20 composed of portions 30, 2| and 22 serve to retain the wall and secure it in proper position, or the panels or blocks may be formed to interlock with the portions 31, 38, 39 and 40.

The retaining unit 20 is provided with a space or duct 32 between the base 25 of the channel 24 and the base of the channel 30 for accommodating electric wires, service and heat conduits, etc., and thereby eliminating the use of separate conduits. An opening 33, closed by a detachable cover plate 34, is provided in the side walls 2| in order to facilitate access to the interior of.

the duct 32.

It is apparent from the foregoing description that a simple and'effective retaining unit for wall structures is provided and that variouschanges position, lathlcarried by said posts, plaster carried and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

In a Wall assembly, a retaining unit comprising a central inverted channel having a base and side walls, upright side walls secured thereto and extending upwardly from the base of the said channel, upright channel members to be secured to a floor and receivable between and fitting against the side walls of the'said inverted channel, upright supporting posts receivable between said upright side wall members and resting on the base of the inverted channel, means carried by said unit between said upright side walls for securing the upright supporting posts in fixed by said lath and extending between said upright walls, and the upper margins of said upright walls being arranged to interlock with the plaster when the plaster is finished flush with the outer surface of the said'upright side walls.

CARLTON SCHULTZ. 

